Railway axle box oil and dust seal



July 9-, 1963 Filed March 19, 1962 J. J. HENNESSY, JR 3,096,987

RAILWAY AXLE BOX OIL AND DUST SEAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 9, 1963 J. J-HENNESSY, JR

RAILWAY AXLE BOX OIL AND DUST SEAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1962y 9, 1963 J. J. HENNESSY, JR 3,096,987

RAILWAY AXLE BOX OIL AND DUST SEAL Filed March 19, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 374 74 FIGIO. FIGH. R

United States Patent 3,096,987 RAILWAY AXLE BQX OIL AND DUST SEAL JamesJ. Hennessy, J12, Chambersburg, Pa., assignor to Hennessy LnbricatorCo., Inc, Chambershurg, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 19,1962, Ser. No. 182,157 17 Claims. (Cl. 277-175) The invention relates todust and oil guards for railway axle journal boxes of the Association ofAmerica Railroads (A.A.R.) type which are commonly provided with anupright pocket at one end for receiving a. guard. This application is acontinuation in part of earlier applications filed June 26, 1959, SerialNo. 823,189, and filed February 1, 1961, Serial No. 87,052, and both nowabandoned.

The objects of the invention are to simplify the guard to reduce itscost and to facilitate its insertion into and removal from the pocket;to construct the guard so that it may be applied and removed as a singleunit without requiring the railroad workman to select and assemble aplurality of units, at the time the guard is installed, which possiblycould be assembled in an improper and ineffective relation; to constructthe guard to accommodate abnormal shifting of the axle in the boxlengthwise of the axle; to arrange the guard for inclination about theaxis of the pocket so that it may flex to accommodate angling of theaxle in the box and thereby avoid bending or breaking of guard parts;and to afiford an adequate seal between the axle and the box and at thesame time accommodate maximum axial movement of the axle in the boxwithout impairing the seal.

The guard is particularly adapted to meet extreme conditions in whichthe axle and guard shift so that the dry seat portion of the axle comescompletely out of the dust guard cavity and may be inclined transverselyof its normal axis due to humping or brake application and then movesback into the cavity. Such return action tends to tear the center of theusual seal due to the abrupt engagement of a portion of the guard innerperiphery by the shoulder between the axle dry seal and the journal. Thepresent invention will avoid or minimize the effects of the movementsdescribed where a plastic ring is used to form a seal.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a selected embodiment of theinvention:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through an A.A.R. journal box showing thewheel mount portion of the axle, the dry seat portion of the axle andthe journal and also showing the bearing and wedge supporting the box onthe journal.

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the guard looking toward the right in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the guard looking in the opposite direction.

PEG. 4 is a detail section on line 44 of FIG. 2 and is drawn to anenlarged scale.

MG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the different relative positionsof the guard and axle during the shifting of the axle in the box.

FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 2 but shows another form of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a vertical section on line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 5 but shows the structure of FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 9 corresponds to FIG. 6 but illustrates another form of theinvention.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are vertical transverse sectional views on lines 1010and 11-41 respectively of FIG. 9.

The box has the usual bottom Wall 1 merging with an upturned front wall2, an inner rear wall 3 and an outer rear Wall 4, said rear walls beingspaced apart, side walls 3,096,987 Patented July 9, 1963 of the boxextending between walls 3 and 4, said walls defining the guard pocketbetween them. The axle includes a portion 5 for mounting the wheel W, adry seat portion 6 of smaller diameter, a journal portion 7 of smallerdiameter than the dry seat portion and having a fillet 8 between them,and a collar 9. The bearing 10 is fitted to the journal and supports awedge 11 which mounts the box top wall 12. All these parts are familiarand of generally standardized dimensions and structures.

The guard is inserted into the pocket between box walls 3 and 4 andcomprises a main body plate 15 of stiff metal or plastic material andhaving a periphery corresponding to the peripheral contour of the boxpocket. Preferably the entire periphery of the plate is flanged at 16toward the front of the box. A compressible packing or sealing strip 17is stapled at 18 or otherwise secured to flange 16 and extendscontinuously around the plate periphery and has sealing contact with thepocket side walls. The plate has a central opening 19 of substantiallygreater diameter than the dry seat portion 6 of the axle to accommodatefree movement of the axle across the openmg.

An annulus 20, preferably of plastic material, has a flat face 21 incontact with the forward face of body plate 15. The inner periphery ofthe annulus is thickened, and shouldered at 22, as best shown in FIG. 5,so as to project in one direction through the opening 19 in plate 15 andis rounded convexly at 23 and faces in the same direction as the rearface of plate 15 to serve as a guide when the annulus moves to the rightfrom its extreme left hand position indicated in FIG. 5 and avoidstearing the annulus. Widely spaced relatively thin tabs 24 project inthe opposite direction and are normally inclined toward the axis of theopening and, when distorted, form spaced wipers for engaging the surfaceof the axle dry seat portion 6 to interrupt the passage of oil adheringto the surf-ace. As the thickness of the oil layer is built up by thewipers, the oil flows back over fillet 8 to the journal instead offlowing past the annulus and out of the box.

The annulus is held in sliding contact with the body plate independentlyof pocket walls 3 and 4 by spring and bearing means comprising threespaced apart bearing plates 25, 26, 27 provided with individual springs28, 29, 30, respectively. Each spring is anchored to body plate 15 by apin 32 headed at each end and extending through substantially largeropenings 33 in the annulus. The pins limit the movements of the annulusand plates relative to each other transversely of the axis of thecentral opening =19. Each spring provides two spaced apart contacts withthe respective bearing plate, and each spring is free to yield with itsbearing plate independently of the other springs and bearing plates.Accordingly, as the journal reciprocates in the box and the axle isinclined transversely of its axis, the plane of the annulus may beinclined relative to the box end wall 3. The friction between theannulus and body plate 15 is substantially uniform irrespective ofvariations in spacing of the pocket end walls 3, 4, nor is the annulusin frictional contact with either of the pocket end walls. in otherwords, the shifting of the annulus is not affected by packing betweenthe body plate and pocket walls.

The construction facilitates relative movement of the annulus and theaxle to the different positions indicated in FIG. 5. The solid lineposition may be considered the normal posit-ion, but as the axle playscrosswise of the box, particularly after substantial wear has takenplace on the ends of the bearing and the: opposed faces of the fillet 8and collar 9, the relative positions may be as indicated in thedot-and-dash showings in FIG. 5. Springs 28, 29, 3t) and bearing plates25, 26, 27 yield,

if necessary, to accommodate temporary angling of the annulus as may beinduced by sudden shifts of the journal relative to the annulus. If theannulus moves to the left hand position, shown in FIG. 5, andsimultaneously the annulus shifts transversely of the journal axis, theflexible annulus may yield, as it moves back to normal full-lineposition, along an axial line, that differs from that assumed in itsearlier movement, instead of being unduly distorted by such returnmovement as is prevalent in earlier guards. In this way undesirablebending or scoring or breaking of the annulus is avoided.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 illustrate another form of the guard in which the mainbody plate 35, flanged at 36, and the cornpressible packing 37 are thesame as described above. The plastic annulus 40 corresponds generally toannulus 33 but in addition to the thickened, shouldered, arcuate innerperiphery 4 1 (FIG. 8) it is provided with a thin annular rib or flange42 extending from the side of the gaurd facing toward the journal. Whilerib 42 possesses some flexibility, it is sufficiently rigid to beform-sustaining and to function as a baffle or dam to resist surging ofthe oil over the inner periphery of the annulus, during play of thejournal in the box, and to better prevent loss of oil if the guard is onthe axle of an open top car which is unloaded in a rotary dumper. Thisis particularly effective if the dry seat portion 44- of the axle isundersize.

Spaced tabs 46 correspond to tabs 24 and are distorted fromthe dottedline position (FIG. 8) to the full-line position as the seal is appliedand wipe oil from the surface of the axle. Tabs 46 are radially outwardfrom rib 42 and protect it from injury by the inclination or othershifting of the journal transversely of the axis of the assembly. Rib 42is spaced a short distance radially from the inner periphery of theannulus and this permits oil which may gather around the line of contactbetween the annulus and axle, from wiping or otherwise, to drain backinto the box sump instead of accumulating and working out past the guardtoward the wheel side of the device.

The annulus is held to body plate 35 by a continuous backing plate 48having a continuous peripheral flange 49 and thrust toward the bodyplate by flat springs 51 distorted by headed pins 53. These partsfunction as do the spaced bearing plates 25, 26, 27 previously describedand assure continuous contact between the annulus and body plate aroundthe axle. Flange 49 on plate 48 rigidifies the plate so thatsubstantially uniform pressure is applied to the annulus throughout itscircumference.

FIGS. 9, 10, ll illustrate another form of the guard in which the mainbody plate 55 flanged at 56, the compressible packing 57, the continuousbacking plate 58, its peripheral flange 59, and springs 61 pressing thetwo main plates together are substantially the same as shown in FIGS; 6,7, 8.

The intermediate annulus 60 corresponds generally to that. shown inFIGS. 6, 7, 8 but it is split radially at 6 between its inner and outerperipheries and a short section-of the annulus is removed along thesplit whereby the annulus may be contracted to contact its innerperiphery with the dry seat of an axle which may have been turned downor otherwise is of less diameter than the normal or full size dry seat.Conversely, if the dry seat is of abnormally large diameter, the annulusmay be spread at the split portion to fit over the seat. Radial slots 67extend inward-1y from the outer periphery of the annulus. A flat spring69 has terminals 74 seated in slots 67 and between its terminals isbowed to present a convex. intermediate section toward the edge of theannulus. When the spring is applied to the annulus it is distorted byspreadingits terminals so that its tendency is to thrustthe split endsof the annulus toward each other to maintain contact between the innerperiphery of the annulus and the dry seat. The width of the spring stripcorresponds to the thickness of the annulus or is slightly less so thatthe spring is received between inner and outer plates 58, 55respectively.

The inner periphery 72 of the annulus opposed to the dry seat iscontinuous except for the split 67. Immediately outwardly (radially) ofthe inner periphery 72 are a series of stiff spaced lugs 74- protectingthe edge of periphery 72 and acting as wipers to scrape surplus oiltending to collect on the dry seat and interrupt its movement outwardlyof the box. A substantially continuous flange 76 projects laterally fromthe annulus and contributes to trapping oil if the car is tilted bodilyin a mechanical dumper to discharge its load. This tab and flangecorrespond generally to the parts shown at 46 and 42 in FIG. 8.

The main body plate 55 and spring 61 are assembled by bolts 75 with nuts77 which facilitates removal of plate 59 and replacement of the annulus.

It will be understood that coil springs may be used instead of the leafsprings shown and that variations in the cross section of the annulusand other details may be varied without departing from the spirit of theinvention and the exclusive use of those modifications coming with: inthe scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. A railway journal box dust and oil guard compris ing a body platehaving a flat forward face and having an outer periphery correspondinggenerally to the contour of a journal box pocket into which it is to beinserted, but of less width, and having a central opening of substa-ntially greater diameter than the dry seat of the axle to which itis to be applied, an annulus having a flat face opposing said plateforward face and having an opening smaller than said plate opening andcorresponding to the diameter of a dry seat to which it is to beapplied, and a spring means including a part having a fixed anchor tosaid body plate and a part spaced from the fixed anchor and bearingagainst said annulus and thereby thrusting said annulus against saidbody plate but accommodating relative sliding movement of said annulusand body plate over each other and accommodating limited movement ofsaid annulus away from said body plate.

2. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 1 inwhich a peripheral edging is secured to the body plate and is formed ofmaterial compressible in a direction parallel tothe plane of the plateto form a seal between the plate and the pocket sidewalls opposing theedges of the plate.

3. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 1 inwhich the spring means comprises individual units spaced substantiallyfrom each other angularly about the annulus and operable independentlyof each other to accommodate different movements of restricted portionsof the annulus away from the body plate.

4. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 1 inwhich the periphery of the body plate comprises a peripheral flangeextending laterally of the plate and the anchor for the spring meansholds the spring means within the space between the body plate and aparallel plane through the edge of said flange.

5. A railway journal box dust and oil guard comprising a body plate witha flat face and with an outer periphery corresponding generally to theperipheral contour of a journal box pocket into which it is to beinserted, there being a central opening in said plate for the passage ofan axle dry seat portion, a plurality of bearing plates paralleling saidbody plate and spaced about the axis of said opening, individualelongated flat springs each having its ends seated on a respectivebearing plate, there being an anchor pin extending through each springand bearing plate and through the body plate and headed at each end,whereby the bearing plates are independently thrust toward and arepositively limited in their movement away from the body plate, and asealing member in the form of a flat continuous annulus of plasticmaterial between the body plate and all the bearing plates and confinedby the pins and providing an opening for the dry seat of an axle passingthrough the guard, said annulus being slidable over said platestransversely of said axis to the extent limited by the pins and normallyheld in contact with the body plate by said springs but being movableaway from the body plate throughout restricted areas by the yielding ofindividual springs to accommodate inclination of the axle and the box inwhich the guard is seated.

6. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim in whichthe marginal portion of the body plate is flanged perpendicularly and astrip of compressible packing material is secured to said flangedperiphery and projects therefrom in the general plane of the plate toengage the opposing wall of a dust guard pocket in which the guard isinserted.

7. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 6 inwhich the annulus is shouldered to project from its flatbody-plate-engaging face through the opening in the body to the oppositeside of the body plate and the inner periphery of the annulus is convextoward the edge of the projection.

8. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 1 inwhich the spring means holding the annulus to the body plate comprisesseparate spring units spaced apart angularly of the axis of the centralopening in the plate and accommodates tilting of the annulus as a unitrelative to the plane of the body plate.

9. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 1 inwhich the inner periphery of the annulus projects transversely andrearwardly of the body plate and has a convex contour facing inwardlyand rearwardly of the central opening in the body plate.

10. A railway journal box dust and oil guard accord ing to claim 1 inwhich the spring means includes a backing plate with a circular openingand having a substantially continuous contact with a face of the annulusand providing substantially uniform pressure of the annulus against thebody plate.

11. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 10 inwhich the backing plate is rigidified by a substantially continuousflange about its periphery and the spring means are flat springspositioned inwardly of the flange and bear against the plate, and pinsextend (through the body plate and the springs and are headed exteriorlyof the body plate and springs and hold the body springs distorted.

12. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 1 inwhich the annulus is provided with an annular rib adjacent to but spacedradially outwardly from the inner periphery of the annulus and extendingaway from the body plate and forming a baffle for oil tending to flowtoward said inner periphery.

13. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 12 inwhich the annular rib is thin and flexible, and relatively stiti spacedlugs on the annulus project therefrom bet-ween the rib and the innerperiphery of the annulus and protect the rib from contact with an axleto which the guard is applied.

14. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 12 inwhich the annular rib is thin and flexible and the annulus is providedwith relatively stiff means projecting between the rib and the innerperiphery of the annulus to protect the rib from contact from thejournal to which the guard is applied.

15. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 1 inwhich the annulus is split radially from its central opening and itscentral opening is expandable and contractible to contact its entireperiphery against axle dry seats of different diameters, there beingyielding means contracting the periphery of the annulus opening aboutits axis.

16. A railway journal box dust and oil. guard according to claim 1 inwhich the annulus is split radially from its central opening and itscentral opening is expandable and contractible to contact its entireperiphery against axle dry seats of different diameters, there beinganother spring spanning the split portion of the annulus with its endsembedded in the annulus at opposite sides of the split and yieldinglycontracting the annulus about its central opening.

17. A railway journal box dust and oil guard according to claim 1 inwhich the annulus is split radially from its central opening and itscentral opening is expandable and contractible to contact its entireperiphery against axle dry seats of different diameters, the annulusbeing slotted inwardly from its outer periphery at each side of thesplit, and 'a flat strip of spring material disposed along the peripheryof the annulus across the split and having inturned terminal portionsfitting in said radial slots, the face of the strip opposite the splitbeing bowed lengthwise between said terminal portions. with a convexsection bearing against the edge of the annulus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,672,345 Schneider June 5, 1928 2,114,662 Barrows Apr. 19, 19382,532,449 Hennessy Dec. 5, 1950 2,840,346 Hennessy June 24, 1958

1. A RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX DUST AND OIL GUARD COMPRISING A BODY PLATEHAVING A FLAT FORWARD FACE AND HAVING AN OUTER PERIPHERY CORRESPONDINGGENERALLY TO THE CONTOUR OF A JOURNAL BOX POCKET INTO WHICH IT IS TO BEINSERTED, BUT OF LESS WIDTH, AND HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING OFSUBSTANTIALLY GREATER DIAMETER THAN THE DRY SEAT OF THE AXLE TO WHICH ITIS TO BE APPLIED, AN ANNULUS HAVING A FLAT FACE OPPOSING SAID PLATEFORWARD FACE AND HAVING AN OPENING SMALLER THAN SAID PLATE OPENING ANDCORRESPONDING TO THE DIAMETER OF A DRY SEAT TO WHICH IT IS TO BEAPPLIED, AND A SPRING MEANS INCLUDING A PART HAVING A FIXED ANCHOR TOSAID BODY PLATE AND A PART SPACED FROM THE FIXED ANCHOR AND BEARINGAGAINST SAID ANNULUS AND THEREBY THRUSTING SAID ANNULUS AGAINST SAIDBODY PLATE BUT ACCOMMODATING RELATIVE SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID ANNULUSAND BODY PLATE OVER EACH OTHER AND ACCOMMODATING LIMITED MOVEMENT OFSAID ANNULUS AWAY FROM SAID BODY PLATE.